Best Alternatives to the EHX Small Clone
Kurt Cobain's chorus pedal — used on "Come as You Are", "Lithium", and "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Simple Rate and Depth controls, analog bucket-brigade circuit. Also used by Robert Smith (The Cure) and a defining sound of early 1990s alternative rock. The Small Clone produces a lush, slightly watery chorus with a distinctive slow sweep character.
BudgetUnder £150
Near-clone of the Small Clone circuit at less than half the price — captures the lush, watery sweep character convincingly. The Behringer is noisier and built to a lower standard than the EHX; for players who want the Small Clone sound for bedroom or recording use, it is a valid starting point. For live use or players who want the actual EHX build, the Small Clone is worth the modest price difference.
Build a rig with this →Four chorus modes including a TonePrint-based vintage BBD mode that approximates the Small Clone's analog warmth — more versatile than the Small Clone at a slightly higher price, but the Small Clone's specific lush, slow-sweep character is a designed limitation that gives it its personality. For players who want the Small Clone sound and no other, the Small Clone is the correct answer; for players who want chorus versatility, the Corona covers more ground.
Build a rig with this →Mid-Range£150–£500
Analog BBD chorus at mid price — four controls (Bass, Treble, Rate, Width) give more tonal shaping than the Small Clone's two knobs. The MXR has a slightly fuller, more polished analog character than the Small Clone's raw lushness; for players who want to move past the Small Clone's simplicity without going digital, the MXR Analog Chorus is the step up.
Build a rig with this →Analog chorus/vibrato with a D-C-V (Dry-Chorus-Vibrato) blend knob — the ability to mix between dry, chorus, and vibrato opens up sounds the Small Clone cannot produce. The Julia has a more refined, warm BBD character and adds the vibrato mode; for players who have exhausted the Small Clone's two controls and want to explore chorus further without going digital, the Julia is the natural next step.
Build a rig with this →Premium£500+
Boss's faithful recreation of the vintage CE-2 circuit with a CE-1 mode — thicker, slower chorus wave than the Small Clone with the added richness of the original CE-1 ensemble sound. The CE-2W produces a more vintage, almost lush tremolo-like shimmer at slow Rate settings versus the Small Clone's more watery, direct character. Both are excellent analog chorus pedals; the CE-2W is the more polished, tonally refined option at three times the Small Clone's price.
Build a rig with this →You Might Also Consider
Gear with similar tonal characteristics based on gain profile, sound traits, and genre fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best budget alternative to the EHX Small Clone?
The Behringer Vintage Chorus VC340 (£25) is the top budget alternative with a 85% tone similarity. Near-clone of the Small Clone circuit at less than half the price — captures the lush, watery sweep character convincingly. The Behringer is noisier and built to a lower standard than the EHX; for players who want the Small Clone sound for bedroom or recording use, it is a valid starting point. For live use or players who want the actual EHX build, the Small Clone is worth the modest price difference.
Is there a cheaper alternative that sounds similar to the EHX Small Clone?
Yes — the alternatives above are sorted by tone similarity score. Budget options under £100 are available for most modulation gear. The similarity score tells you how close each one gets.
What does the tone similarity score mean?
The similarity score (0–100) rates how closely an alternative matches the original's tonal character, gain level, frequency response, and genre suitability. 90+ is near-identical. 70–89 is very close with minor differences. 60–69 is a good substitute with some character change.
What is the premium alternative to the EHX Small Clone?
The Boss CE-2W Waza Craft (£189) is the top premium alternative. Boss's faithful recreation of the vintage CE-2 circuit with a CE-1 mode — thicker, slower chorus wave than the Small Clone with the added richness of the original CE-1 ensemble sound. The CE-2W produces a more vintage, almost lush tremolo-like shimmer at slow Rate settings versus the Small Clone's more watery, direct character. Both are excellent analog chorus pedals; the CE-2W is the more polished, tonally refined option at three times the Small Clone's price.